U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Ray Odierno to Speak at National Press Club, June 4

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- General Ray Odierno, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, will discuss issues facing the army at a National Press Club Speakers Luncheon, June 4. As the Army's most senior officer, Odierno is the top advisor to the Secretary of the Army.

Odierno has been grappling in recent weeks with several challenges facing the U.S. military, including a Defense Department report that tens of thousands of women were sexually assaulted last year. The Army chief is also involved in planning future troop levels in Afghanistan and the future of the U.S. Army in Iraq. The general has also pushed to prepare U.S. forces for possible conflict on the Korean Peninsula as North Korean leader Kim Jung Un continues to make threats of nuclear war against the U.S.

General Odierno became Chief of Staff in 2011 after being the Commander of United States Joint Forces Command. General Odierno previously served as the Commanding General, Multi-National Corps -- Iraq and then the Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq and has served for more than 36 years. His son, an Army Captain, lost an arm while serving in Iraq in 2004 when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

The Press Club luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Remarks will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session, ending at 2 p.m. Tickets may be purchase by going to the following link. The cost of luncheon admission is $21 for National Press Club members and $35 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased at the time of reservation.

National Press Club Luncheons are webcast live on press.org. Follow the conversation on Twitter using #NPCLunch or (@PressClubDC), or on Facebook at (facebook.com/PressClubDC). Submit questions for speakers in advance and during the live event by sending them to @QNPCLunch on Twitter. Or to email a question in advance, type ODIERNO in the subject line and send to president@press.org before 10 a.m. on the day of event.

The Press Club is on the 13th floor, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Credentialed press may cover this event with ID.

About the National Press Club The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists with more than 3,300 members worldwide representing every major news organization. More than 250,000 people visit the Club each year to attend more than 2,000 events. The Club was founded in 1908 and is on the web at press.org.